The present invention relates generally to a method of making an animal feed and in particular an improved milk replacer having a soluble fiber and a sugar alcohol.
Livestock are generally weaned prior to their ability to consume whole foods. In the case of dairy cattle, calves may be fed whole milk or a milk replacer until the calves are weaned and ready to consume solid food. Feeding calves milk replacer is generally preferred since the milk replacer not only mimics the milk in terms of protein, fat and carbohydrate content, but also may be fortified with vitamins, medication and other nutritional supplements which benefit the young calves. Furthermore, milk replacer is a powder that has been spray dried at high temperatures eliminating disease organisms that may have existed in the ingredients that comprise the milk replacer. The powder form of the milk replacer also provides for easy storage.
Young livestock such as calves, piglets, horses, sheep, goats and other ruminants are very susceptible to bacteria that cause scours (diarrhea). Scours can lead to dehydration of the young animal and many studies have been conducted that show when young animals have experienced scours, their growth and development is less than animals that have not experienced scours. Less growth and development, of course, results in less profitability for the farmer.
It has been suggested that adding psyllium to milk replacer may be effective in reducing scours in calves. Martin J. Fettman, Potential Benefits of Psyllium Mycelioid Supplementation of Replacement Formulas for Neonatal Calf Scours, North America, Ed., February 1992, at 247 (Fettman Article). The Fettman Article based its opinion upon the properties of psyllium as well as the effectiveness of psyllium in reducing intestinal disorders in other animals and humans.
The use of psyllium (plantago seed supplement) in animal feed is also disclosed in Van Magius, PCT Patent Application No. WO82/02650 (Van Magius Patent). The Van Magius Patent application describes using plantago seed supplement to reduce animal stress conditions, prevent or treat scours, and promote growth.
Further use of a stable suspension of psyllium and the calf milk replacer has been described in the Miller et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,571,542 and 6,406,729. In addition, the use of sorbitol as a feed component for cows is described in the Luhman U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,447.
Weaning of young animals occurs when the liquid feed is withdrawn from the diet. Thus, as used herein, “pre-weaning period” refers to the period when nutrients are predominantly or entirely supplied in liquid form such as to a calf as part of a liquid feed, and “post-weaning period” refers to the period when nutrients are no longer predominantly or entirely provided to the calf in the form of liquid feed.
Typical liquid feeds for young animals include fluid milk or fluid milk replacers. In the case of dairy cows fluid milk replacers are frequently substituted in place of fluid milk because fluid milk that is produced by mature, lactating dairy cows is generally more valuable when sold to consumers or when used to manufacture food products that are sold to consumers. Thus, fluid milk replacers that are produced to simulate fluid milk are generally substituted in place of fluid milk for feeding young calves. Fluid milk replacers may be based upon dairy components and non-dairy components that are combined to provide nutrient and palatability characteristics approximating the nutrient and palatability characteristics of fluid milk. Milk replacers are typically marketed in powdered form to avoid the higher transportation and storage costs of distributing fluid milk replacer. Powdered milk replacers are mixed with water prior to use to form fluid milk replacers that are provided to the young calves. The formulation and feeding of fluid milk replacers is well-known in the art.
Ruminants, such as cattle, are commonly bred and raised to produce food products, such as milk and beef, for human consumption. Maturation of cattle, as evidenced by weight gain, is an important factor that helps determine when a cow is ready to produce milk or is ready for market. Dairy farmers and cattle ranchers are greatly interested in techniques for economically achieving enhanced rates of ruminant weight gain since such techniques beneficially reduce milk and beef production costs.
Also, dairy farmers and cattle ranchers recognize that the care and feeding of cattle both prior to weaning and after weaning play an important role in determining the amount and quality of products produced by the cattle. As an example, the age of dairy cows at freshening and the onset of lactation may be reduced by modifying the nutrient mix and nutrient composition in feed the dairy cows consume and by inducing the cows to gain weight more quickly during the pre-weaning and post-weaning periods prior to freshening. Also, in cattle ranching operations, increasing the rate of weight gain by young cattle beneficially reduces the time required for producing cattle with a size that is suitable for market.
In both dairy operations and ranching operations, it is also generally desirable to increase the feed efficiency of young ruminants. The greater the feed efficiency the less feed required by the ruminant to obtain a unit amount of weight gain.
A major overall desire of dairy farmers and ranchers alike is to reduce the overall cost to produce a product, such as milk or beef, with an acceptable level of quality. Depending upon numerous cost variables, such as the cost of feed, labor costs on the farm or ranch, and equipment and building costs on the farm or ranch, this desired cost reduction may be achieved by increasing the rate of weight gain by young ruminants and/or increasing the feed efficiency of young ruminants. Thus, dairy farmers and ranchers, depending upon their particular cost variables, may employ either enhanced rates of weight gain or increased feed efficiency or a combination of enhanced rates of weight gain and increased feed efficiency to reduce the cost of bringing milk and beef to the consumer market.
To complement liquid feeds that are fed to ruminants, such as cattle, prior to weaning, a number of additives and supplements have been developed for feeding calves along with the liquid feed during the pre-weaning period. These additives and supplements have been developed for a number of different purposes. For example, some additives and supplements have been developed to generally enhance the health of the young calves or help prevent or control development of specific conditions or ailments, such as scours. Additionally, some additives or supplements have been developed in an attempt to enhance appetite, enhance maturation rate, and/or enhance weight gain.
In this regard, various veterinary pharmaceutical compositions have been developed to help prevent or inhibit development of certain ailments in ruminants. Also, numerous vitamin compositions have been developed to help enhance the general health of ruminants and/or to help prevent or inhibit development of ailments or conditions in ruminants. Finally, the use of psyllium has been prescribed for reducing scours in calves. Also, psyllium incorporation in the diet of ruminants has been described for increasing the rate of weight gain per unit weight of protein that is consumed by ruminants.
Though the various ruminant feed supplements and additives that have been proposed and/or practiced over the years have enhanced the overall knowledge base with respect to ruminant feeding, these feed supplements and additives, as well as feeding techniques that employ these feed supplements and additives, have not yet been fully identified, addressed, or optimized options for increasing the rate of weight gain exhibited by ruminants or for increasing the feed efficiency of ruminants. Thus, dairy farmers and ranchers alike are still in need of new approaches to feeding ruminants that enhance weight gain rates in ruminants and/or increase the feed efficiency of ruminants.